Imagine: The Beatles as a 70's Progressive Rock Act

[Skullhead]

Had Paul taken the leadership successfully, he certainly had more prog leanings than the others. But some of George Harrison's work could have been a really wonderful addition bringing world music into the albums.

If you had an album starting off with

1.Venus and Mars Rock Show
2. Uncle Albert
3. #9 Dream
4. Beware of Darkness
5. Bluebird
6. Band on the Run
7. Exerpts from Wonderwall
8. Bangla Desh
9. Maybe I'm Amazed
10. Imagine
11. Live and Let Die

In my opinion this would be an album better than any of their solo albums, and better than any Beatles Album. Had the band gone out with something like this,
it would have not only changed the face of music at the time but also raised the bar for all the other bands exploring forward thinking rock music.

[trondis23]

The Beatles definitely have moments of of odd time in their music, no question. "Here Comes the Sun" has a measure of 11/8 or 6/8 and 5/8, whichever way you choose to count it. Many more examples.

Check out this site: https://www.aaronkrerowicz.com/beatles-minute.html

It contains links to one-minute analyses of Beatles songs. "Yer Blues" especially seems to have some tricky metre changes. But they also throw in or omits a beat here and there on many other songs. Their songs sounds so simple, but aren't always beneath the surface.

[trondis23]

Had Paul taken the leadership successfully, he certainly had more prog leanings than the others.

I am always surprised when I hear people say that. Paul wrote mostly sweet pop songs and most of their hit singles. John wrote Strawberry Fields, I am the Walrus and other songs that were not so sweet and poppy, while George did his Indian songs. Pauls "prog" contribution was things like the background tapes of "Tomorrow never Knows", and his suggestion for the orchestra crescendo on "A day in a life".

[rcarlberg]

Paul did electronic music under the name The Firemen.